Readers' picks: Best travel songs of all time

By Chuck Thompson, CNN

Updated 1:15 AM ET, Fri June 20, 2014

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15. 'Truckin'' (Grateful Dead, 1970) – Back when the Grateful Dead recorded their immortal ballad of the blacktop, "Truckin'" defined a state of mind far more than it did the actual act of riding in a truck.

12. 'Going Up the Country' (Canned Heat, 1968) – Aficionados of big rigs and power flutes, ever-versatile Canned Heat memorably lit up the crowd at Woodstock in 1969 with "Going Up the Country."

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11. 'Holiday Road' (Lindsay Buckingham, 1983) – Reader Eric summed up the passionate support for Lindsay Buckingham's theme from National Lampoon's "Vacation" movies: "'Holiday Road' by Lindsey Buckingham is #1." Well, #11 according to his fellow readers, but still pretty good.

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10. 'Me and Bobby McGee' (Janis Joplin, 1971) – Readers suggested various versions of Kris Kristofferson's "Me and Bobby McGee," but most cited Janis Joplin's 1971 version as the one they like best.

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9. 'Turn the Page' (Bob Seger, 1973) – Bob Seger first recorded "Turn the Page" as a solo artist, but the 1976 live version with the Silver Bullet Band (Seger in front, pictured in 1977) is the classic rock radio staple.

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8. 'Ramblin' Man' (Allman Brothers, 1973) – Out standing in their field, the Allman Brothers Band's "Ramblin' Man" includes a line about being born in the back seat of Greyhound Bus and one of the most memorable guitar solos in rock history.

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7. 'Running on Empty' (Jackson Browne, 1977) – Wanderlust and a near-empty gas tank (apparently) inspired Jackson Browne to write "Running on Empty," one of the greatest travel songs ever ... even if we didn't originally say so.

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6. 'Travelin' Man' (Ricky Nelson, 1961) – Ricky Nelson hooked up with a "pretty Senorita" in Mexico, a "cute little Eskimo" in Alaska, a "sweet Fraulein" in Berlin and a "China doll down in old Hong Kong." Or so he sang in "Travelin' Man."

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5. 'City of New Orleans' (Arlo Guthrie, 1972) – An ode to American train culture written by Steve Goodman in 1971, "City of New Orleans" has been recorded by many artists, but Arlo Guthrie (pictured) had the signature hit with it in 1972.

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4. 'Radar Love' (Golden Earring, 1973) – Golden Earring (pictured in 2014) is still on the road playing that not so forgotten song. Reader whymilikethis wrote: "'Radar Love' -- I get speeding tickets listening to that one. My favorite drivin' tune."

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3. 'I've Been Everywhere' (Johnny Cash, 1996) – Canadian Hank Snow had a 1962 hit with "I've Been Everywhere" (written by Australian Geoff Mack in 1959), but Johnny Cash's 1996 version is the one most cited by CNN readers. By the time he recorded it, Cash (with Emmylou Harris and June Carter) had been pretty much everywhere himself.

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2. 'Route 66' (Nat King Cole, 1946) – The places named by Bobby Troup and sung by Nat King Cole in "(Get Your Kicks on) Route 66" are familiar even to those who haven't made the journey.

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1. 'Life is a Highway' (Tom Cochrane, 1991) – No song left off our original list inspired as much outcry as Tom Cochrane's "Life is a Highway." We deserve to have our passports shredded for leaving this one off the list.

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Story highlights

We chose our favorite travel songs. Our readers scoffed. And came up with a new list

"Me and Bobby McGee" is much-covered, but most readers prefer Janis Joplin's version

"I've Been Everywhere" was written by Australian country musician Geoff Mack in 1959

Bob Seger had a number of songs nominated by readers -- only one made the top 15 list

Once in while, the CNN Travel braintrust blows it -- make that all the time if you happen to be @cnnalwaysblowsit47.

These and more than 150 other musical oversights (as suggested by readers) marred what we naively assumed was a list sure to get readers humming tunes and tapping their toes -- not calling for our jobs and swinging their air guitars like Game of Thrones truncheons.

Good thing defenders of never-faltering good taste and intellectual omniscience (thank you, @cnnyoushouldbeashamed) are around the make sure no misstep goes un-roasted.

Below are the best travel songs our readers couldn't believe we missed the first time around -- frankly, neither can we.

It's hard to imagine now, but for a flicker in time, no one in the world was as hip as America's red-blooded and red-eyed long-haul truckers.

Fueled by the CB radio lingo of the day -- "That's a big 10-4," "Good buddy," "Breaker 1-9," "Put the hammer down," they're all here! -- C.W. McCall's ode to outrunning smokies and teaming up with 11 long-haired friends of Jesus in a chartreuse Microbus resonates to this day.

Deanna J. Dragonus wasn't the only reader to chastise us for neglecting traveling professionals, but she did it with the no-nonsense aplomb of a truck stop waitress when she wrote: "Apparently, CNN didn't bother to ask the people that travel for a living for input otherwise there would be song (sic) such as C.W. McCall's 'Convoy.'"

From Long Island to Los Angeles, howls of indignation echoed across the country when the U.S. government decreed a nationwide federal speed limit of 55 molasses-like miles per hour on the nation's interstates.*

No one howled quite like lead-footed California rocker and Ferrari owner Sammy Hagar.

His populist challenge to the authority of a paternalistic central government remains an all-time classic.

Reader Marisofhm summed up the feelings of many by dubbing our original story a "lame list" without the inclusion of the Red Rocker's high-octane hit.

*The U.S. government passed the National Maximum Speed Law in 1974, making 55 mph the top speed on all interstate roads. In 1995, federal speed limit controls were officially removed with the passage of the National Highway Designation Act, largely leaving the matter of speed limits up to individual states.

That wasn't the only call for this chooglin' blues-rock number that deploys a power flute, promises a trip that "might even leave the U.S.A." and memorably lit up the crowd at Woodstock in 1969.

That's a travel-song resume for the ages.

11. "Holiday Road" (Lindsay Buckingham, 1983)

Widespread support for the theme from National Lampoon's "Vacation" movies took us by surprise.

We're big Lindsay Buckingham fans, but we'd deemed this one a little too lightweight for our original list.

Along with a number of others, reader Eric passionately disagreed: "'Holiday Road' by Lindsey Buckingham is #1."

But pspdude summed up the Buckingham Bridgade's beef best: "The road anthem of all time, 'Holiday Road' by Lindsay Buckingham. CNN, what were you thinking to leave (this) out?"

10. "Me and Bobby McGee" (Janis Joplin, 1971)

Janis with music impresario Clive Davis, not Bobby McGee.

Reader pepina questioned our travel bona fides when lambasting the absence of this undisputed travel masterpiece from our original article: "Guess the writer has never been 'busted flat in Baton Rouge ... waiting for a train.'"

That's true enough, pepina, but various members of the CNN Travel staff have been busted flat in such places as Bangkok, Melbourne and Blythe, California.

Enough, it goes without saying, to admit we should have known to include this one in our original story.

Readers suggested various versions of Kris Kristofferson's drifter fable originally recorded by Roger Miller in 1969.

Wes Scott called the Grateful Dead's take the "best version of that song I EVER heard, and I LOVE Janis!"

Perhaps representing the roots rocker's mature and tolerant fan base, reader Mark was among many who lobbied in genial fashion for the inclusion of this world-weary tour bus ballad.

"Ease up people everyone's list is different," wrote Mark. "'Turn the Page' by Bob Seger would've been on my list but I'm not gonna bash (writer Barry Neild) because it's not on his."

Several other Seger songs garnered mentions from readers, including "Roll Me Away," "Travelin' Man" and "Against the Wind."

8. "Ramblin' Man" (The Allman Brothers Band, 1973)

The Allman Brothers Band: Let's get ready to ramble.

Reader Kokapelye was driven to multiple exclamation points (actually a pretty common reaction) by the omission of this Southern rock tour de force: "What?! No Allman Brothers!! One of my road tapes is almost all Allmans."

We'll agree that any song that includes a line about being born in the back seat of Greyhound Bus, as well as one of the most memorable guitar solos in rock history (by Dickey Betts), deserved a place our original list.

We'll also agree that anyone who has a cassette player in their car is probably driving something way cooler than we are.

7. "Running on Empty" (Jackson Browne, 1977)

Micah Burns wrote: "'Radar Love' and 'Runnin' On Empty' ... are better than half the songs on this list."

Micah should be happy -- both picks were echoed often enough by others to make the readers' top picks list.

Driver of the magical cassette-rockin' car Kokapelye chimed in with an interesting if dubious claim: "Ooh yeah! 'Runnin' on Empty!' I actually get better mileage from the bottom of my tank by humming that song!"

Thomas McCraw wrote: "I am in my 50's and only recognize about 6 of these songs ... Where did they come up with this list of obscure songs? Surprised they did not have 'Traveling Man' by Ricky Nelson."

By the time of this 1951 performance, Nat King Cole had put plenty of miles on "Route 66."

Reader Littleredtop nearly blew a head gasket when he came across our original list of greatest travel songs ever: "(Writer) Barry Neild* must either be twelve years old or the most poorly informed music critic ever. He has completely overlooked the greatest travel song of all time -- Nat King Cole's rendition of 'Route 66.' This isn't just my opinion as hundreds of millions of people all across the globe will agree."

The fact is, we could build a whole top 10 list of greatest travel songs ever solely with songs by Canadian artists.

In addition to "Life is a Highway" and "I've Been Everywhere" there's BTO's "Roll On Down the Highway," Gordon Lightfoot's "Carefree Highway," Rush's "Fly By Night," and ... um ... then there's ... uh ... help us out here, people!